Australian National Mooring Network - Australia's Integrated Marine Observing System
Original (non-English) name
Acronym
ANMN - IMOS
Citation
Users of IMOS data are required to clearly acknowledge the source material by including the following statement:
Australia’s Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) is enabled by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS). It is operated by a consortium of institutions as an unincorporated joint venture, with the University of Tasmania as Lead Agent.
Abstract
The National Mooring Network is a collection of mooring arrays strategically positioned in Australian coastal waters. The National Mooring Network measures physical and biological parameters, and includes regional arrays of shelf moorings, acidification moorings, acoustic observatories and a network of National Reference Stations that include additional vessel-based sampling.
The National Reference Stations deliver long-term time series observations which are critical for defining key components of climate change and associated responses of ocean ecosystems. Currently seven NRS are in operation around Australia (Kangaroo Island, Yongala, Stradbroke Island, Darwin, Maria Island, Port Hacking and Rottnest Island), building on the three long-term locations (Maria Island, Rottnest Island and Port Hacking), where monthly water sampling for physical and biological parameters have been in operation since the 1940’s.
The IMOS shelf moorings are deployed in a wide range of configurations (cross shelf arrays, mooring pairs and single moorings), and are designed to characterise and monitor regional processes on the continental shelf. In some locations, shelf moorings are linked to Deep Water Arrays.
Acidification moorings are co-located at some National Reference Station sites to collect the full suite of parameters needed to characterise the concentration of acidification and provide key observations to help us understand and address the problem of increasing ocean acidification.
Acoustic Observatories, which ceased operations in December 2017 passively record sound from the ocean. The data, which is still available via the AODN Portal provide baseline data on ambient oceanic noise, detection of fish and mammal vocalisations linked to ocean productivity and the detection of underwater events.
The National Mooring Network consists of ten different Sub-Facilities.